They say a picture's worth a thousand words, so about 65 pictures makes a great YA novel, right? Maybe not, but I find a little visual inspiration never hurts when I'm writing, just so long as I don't spend so long on Pinterest that my husband asks if I've fallen in...At the Swoon Reads twitter chat last night, one of the questions that we first list panel members were asked was if our ideas came from real life or our imaginations. My answer? Imagination inspired by real life. This is true for not only plot events and dialogue but also for descriptions of characters and settings. I find pictures especially useful for helping me show character's emotions, what that emotion looks like on their faces and in their body language.Google Maps is a great resource for setting as well, since you can use street view to get snapshots of places where your characters live or visit. A scene I'm working on for Kiss and Cry involves a drive through the Rocky Mountains and into Utah and Google Maps meant I could "drive" their route through snapshots. And if a picture's worth a thousand words, how much more for a movie? I also love YouTube videos for research. Since I personally don't enjoy seafood, I've never eaten a lobster. But I could learn exactly how to do it on YouTube.Do you have a favorite source for visual inspiration? Please share by leaving a comment. Thanks!P.S. For those who missed the twitter chat, I leaked that there's a new Halloween scene coming to The Boy Next Door. If you want spoilers, check out my The Boy Next Doorboard on Pinterest.

For more thoughts on writing from a sense of place, I recommend the website of children's book author Sarah Sullivan - www.sarahsullivanbooks.com Her graduate lecture at Vermont College on writing from a sense of place was so powerful, she inspired faculty member Tim Wynne-Jones to write a new novel.

Also, here are some thoughts from mystery writers, Julia Spencer Fleming and William Kent Krueger, who recently spoke at Calvin College's Festival of Faith and Writing:
Write from a profound love of place…The story begins with place. William Kent Krueger

Everything comes from place – weather, climate, who the people are, what happens, how people react. Julia Spencer Fleming

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Reflections on Writing

I love few things better than a bottomless to-read list of books and firmly believe the world has room for all the stories we want to share. This blog is intended to provide resources and spark discussion about improving writing. Opinions are my own and not intended to discredit anyone else's work, only to open conversation. Thanks for reading!